THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2020 Page 3 ~ THE ADVOCATE ASKS ~ How the chairs of the Saugus Democratic and Republican Town Committees size up Tuesday’s Election Day Editor’s Note: For this week, we decided to get a balanced take on the presidential election from a Saugus perspective, so we interviewed the local spokesmen for the two major political parties in town: Saugus Democratic Town Committee Chair Joseph Malone and Saugus Republican Town Committee Chair Jim Harrington. We asked them their thoughts on the upcoming presidential race, what town residents in their party have to look forward to in Tuesday’s (Nov. 3) election, their reaction to the early turnout (43 percent of all registered voters as of Wednesday, Oct. 28) and whether they think Saugus voters would support Trump as they did four years ago. Malone, 67, has been chair of the Saugus Democratic Town Committee for 12 years. He grew up in Medford and graduated from Malden Catholic High School. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in U.S. History from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst in 1975. He has worked for more than three decades at the state Department of Transitional Assistance (formerly the Department of Public Welfare), where he is currently a benefit eligibility representative. Malone has also worked at SavMor Liquors in Somerville for 42 years. He has been a town resident since 1988 and has been active with the Democratic Town Committee for 29 years. He and his wife, Barbara, are the parents of three grown-up children: a son and two daughters. The couple served multiple terms on the Saugus School Committee: Joe from 2007-13 and Barbara from 1995-2003. Harrington, 62, has been the local chair of the Saugus Republican Town Committee since 1989 – a year after he became active with the party. He’s been a registered Republican for 40 years. He has lived most of his life in Saugus and is a 1976 Saugus High School graduate. He attended Northeastern University in Boston for two years. He is a retired mechanic and service station owner. Harrington served on the Republican State Committee from 2000 to 2004. He’s been an at-large member of the Saugus Lions Club and a member of the Saugus High School Alumni Association and other local organizations. He’s been a Pats season ticket holder since 1993 and loves to tailgate. He and his wife, Susan, a Melrose native, have three grown-up sons and three grandchildren they enjoy taking care of at their Carr Road home. Some highlights of those interviews follow. Q: So, as of today (Wednesday, October 28), 43 percent of Saugus’ registered voters have already voted. What do you make of that? Malone: I think people are anxious to get out and vote. With the COVID, people were worried about lines on Election Day and wanted to vote early. ASKS | SEE PAGE 4
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